About 68 per cent people in India are protein deficient, while 71 per cent have poor muscle health, a recent survey has pointed out.

Citing reports, experts on Monday said 84 per cent of Indian vegetarian and 65 per cent of non-vegetarian diets are protein deficient.

“According to our latest survey with IPSOS, a leading global market and opinion research firm, around 68 per cent of people have lower protein content in their body than adequate and 71 per cent of the people have poor muscle health,” InBody Clinical Executive Dr Ankita Ghag said in a statement.

The findings stated a correlation between poor muscle health and protein deficiency in India which needs to be addressed, she added.

“We believe there is a need to build awareness about the importance of muscle health amongst Indians and find appropriate solutions,” Ghag said.

Referring to a Indian Market Research Bureau (IMRB) study in 2017, nutritionist Kavita Devgan said 84 per cent of Indian vegetarian and 65 per cent of non-vegetarian diets are protein deficient.

“This (the study) concluded people are not getting enough protein from their daily diets and to maintain good muscle health, the body needs between 10 and 14 additional grams of protein per day,” she said.

“So in this situation, protein supplements, which come with hydrolyzed proteins, could be a very helpful resource to fulfill daily protein intakes,” she added.

Expressing similar views, head of Danone, a French multinational food-products corporation, nutrition science and medical affairs, Nandan Joshi said protein is the most misunderstood nutrient with a lot of fallacies around it like it is only for body builders or the belief that our daily diets have sufficient protein.

“To compound the situation, not many people are aware about their daily protein requirements. Similarly, muscle health is often ignored since it is misunderstood as an area which is of relevance only to a sportsperson or a gym-goer. Not many Indians know about its overall impact on health and wellness,” he added.

Good muscle health is not only a key for an active lifestyle, but also for carrying out daily physical activities to maintain a healthy life, Joshi said.

As per the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) given by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for Indians, 0.8 to 1 gm protein per kg body weight per day is the requirement of a normal, sedentary person without any disease.

Tips to improve protein intake for better muscle health:

1. Whenever you go ahead with eating a meal, have your protein first before intake of starches. This will help you keep full and satisfied.

2. Include more dairy in your diet to increase protein intake. Dairy products like eggs, milk, cottage cheese and cheese are all good sources of protein.

3. Include more nuts and seeds in your diet to increase protein consumption for better muscle health.

4. Soy is a great source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. They can also add more legumes and beans in their diet to increase their protein consumption.

5. Lean meat like chicken breast, fish and shrimp are also good sources of protein for improving your muscle health.

6. Also for improved muscle health, make sure you include strength training or weight training in your exercise regime. Follow the principle of progressive overload to get stronger and fitter.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)